title: Patient perspectives on quality of life after penile cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Penile cancer (PC) is a rare, but ominous disease. In 50-60% of squamous cell carcinomas of the penis, human papilloma virus infection, particularly with types 16 and 18, is part of the pathogenesis. Depending on cancer invasiveness, PC is treated with local resection of the glans and partial or total penectomy. This quality of life (QoL) study aimed at obtaining in-depth knowledge about patients' experiences with PC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature study was carried out to identify relevant topics for a semi-structured interview. Qualitative interviews with four former PC patients were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a medical anthropological approach. The analysis focused on the ways patients frame their disease experiences and relate the physical, sexual and emotional disease impact.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Varying degrees of amputation affected the participants' sexual capabilities. Still, three participants (aged 66-72 years) said that their partner relationships were not negatively affected by the disease. In contrast, the impact on sexual function and self-esteem had been devastating to the fourth participant (aged 44 years) who was single and worried about the disease impeding his chance of finding love in life. For all participants, having had a potentially fatal disease put the physical disease impact into perspective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PC may greatly impact the psycho-sexual QoL of PC patients, particularly at a younger age and depending on their partnership status. Disease impact appears to be related to age, overall life situation and the cancer experience.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The study was funded by an unrestricted research grant from Sanofi Pasteur MSD.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  not relevant.
authors.affiliation: AnthroConsult, Fynsgade 24, 2. th., 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. glm@anthroconsult.dk
authors.forename: Gitte Lee
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.forename: Jakob Kristian
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010412:Penile Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010413:Penis / Q000601:surgery; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology